Lewis Hamilton's road to redemption began yesterday - by tossing omelettes on a Spanish hillside.

The world champion was making his first public appearance since McLaren escaped a three-race ban for lying to stewards in Australia.

And his Vodafone handlers made the bizarre decision that an omelette-making and basketball competition with team-mate Pedro de la Rosa in the hills above Barcelona was the ideal setting to begin his public rehabilitation.

Hamilton said: "I'm going to keep my head down and stay focused on doing a good job. Hopefully by the end of the season we will have better results than everyone expected. Results speak for themselves."

Later at the Circuit de Catalunya, ahead of Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton added: "I've just got to get on with my job, keep being me, remain humble, try to continue to do a good job and hope over the course of time people will get to know who I am and understand I am, in actual fact, a good person. I do what I do because I love it."

Former team-mate Fernando Alonso said: "To help his damaged reputation is very easy - if he keeps winning he will make his supporters happy.